Maggie Kang (center), the Korean Canadian creator and co-director of the animated blockbuster "KPop Demon Hunters," on Jan. 4 gives her acceptance speech after the film won Best Animated Feature at the Critics Choice Awards of the U.S. in Santa Monica, California. (Yonhap News)

By Kim Seon Ah

"KPop Demon Hunters" has won two Critics Choice Awards of the U.S.

The animated blockbuster on Jan. 4 clinched Best Animated Feature and Best Song at the 31st edition of the annual honors in Santa Monica, California, defeating competitors "Zootopia 2" and "Elio."

EJAE, the singer-songwriter of "Golden," which won Best Song, said at the ceremony, "Most importantly, for it (the song) to give hope to so many people around the world is truly the greatest honor."

"The movie's journey started seven years ago as a personal love letter to my Korean culture, to the power of music, and to anybody who is trying to juggle and balance the person who they are really on the inside with who the world wants them to be," Maggie Kang, the film's Korean Canadian creator and co-director, said in her acceptance speech for Best Animated Feature.

"We really want to also thank the fans for finding this movie and supporting us from the very beginning."

In addition, "Squid Game" won Best Foreign Language Series for its third season, as the smash K-drama completed a sweep of the award for all three seasons.

Sponsored by the Critics Choice Association, which comprises about 600 professional broadcast and film critics and journalists from the U.S. and Canada, the awards recognize the year's best cinema and actors in film and TV and are considered a major precursor to the Academy Awards.

sofiakim218@korea.kr